


A Cup for Thought

by veselko



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akira being a dork, Brief Moment in Mementos, Coffee and Carnage, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Pranks, Ryuji being a dork, Ryuji curses in his thoughts, Sweet, We're all dorks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 05:51:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11029968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veselko/pseuds/veselko
Summary: Ryuji regrets everything.Or: Morgana suggests a prank, and Ryuji goes along with it. It doesn't turn out as expected.





	A Cup for Thought

"What's wrong, Skull?" Morgana asked one day as the Phantom Thieves were fulfilling a slew of requests. They were taking a break in a rest stop, and everyone was focused on their own thing. Morgana had noticed Skull walking back and forth just outside the sitting area, away from everyone else.

It was rare to see them not fighting. Ryuji just had a knack for annoying Morgana, and Morgana intentionally riled him up in turn. Their docile encounters would always end up in one of them walking away, fuming, or in friendly—yet hostile—banter at best. Of course, they were in Mementos. Dissent was put to a minimum here.

"It's nothing," Ryuji shook his head. His skull mask was a perfect way to hide his expression but Morgana still noticed the frustration behind it.

"Don't lie. You're as easy to read as a summarized book," Morgana rolled his eyes. Ryuji wanted to retort, but he knew it was true.

"It's just...how can Joker be so calm all the time!" Ryuji groaned, frustration strong in his tone. Said subject of conversation remained oblivious a few meters away.

"It's just how he is," Morgana placated. "He's our leader. If he's not calm, we're in trouble."

"Still, earlier in that battle, he just...that attack...I almost couldn't pull him away in time."

"I know you're worried about him," Morgana started, "but we worry about you too. Both of you are our heavy-hitters, and you guys are always on the front lines. Do you know how many times I had to cast Dia and Media because of you two?"

His kitty ears twitched in agitation towards the end of his words.

"Point is, if you guys are ever injured, I'm there. Joker trusts in me. You should trust in me too," Morgana huffed.

Ryuji sighed. He _did_ trust n Morgana, even if he would never admit it. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're always reliable when we're in a pinch. I just wish he wasn't so laid-back all the time."

"Laid-back huh," Morgana muttered in thought. It was true that Joker could be a bit too blithe, doing fancy flips and excessive twirls in the beginning of battle, taunting the enemy whilst in the middle of battle, and so on. It was just so _like_ him, suited the image of a gentleman thief so much, that Morgana never really did pay much attention to it. 

Ryuji probably paid more attention to that because he saw Akira, who was a mild and stoic boy, much less _free_ with his theatrics.

Morgana could relate with Ryuji on puzzling Akira's calmness though. Whether he was Akira or Joker, he never lost his cool. Sometimes, Morgana wondered if Akira was even capable of looking not-cool.

"You know, I think I would like to try something," Morgana smirked.

"Huh?"

"Skull, I have an idea," Morgana's smirk melted into a devious grin. Ryuji eyed him warily. "We're going to make Joker lose his cool."

"How are going to do that?" Ryuji asked dubiously, but interest shined in his eyes.

"Listen closely..."

.

.

.

And that's how Ryuji was snickering as he put salt in the sugar pitcher on a Sunday morning in Leblanc.

Usually, one could easily distinguish that sugar was a soft, dusty sort of texture while salt was more rocky in a granule way. However, in Leblanc's dim lighting, no one could tell. Even if they could, it would be too late, melting indistinguishably in hot coffee.

Or at least, that would be the plan.

Morgana skipped down the steps in a rather graceful manner, but there was a hint of panic behind it.

"Hurry up Ryuji! He's coming down!"

Ryuji nodded as he tried to contain his amusement, and screwed the lid for both the salt and sugar containers tight. The half-empty salt container went back into the kitchen cabinets while the salt-filled sugar container sat innocently next to the coffee preps.

"You look weird," Morgana sniffed disdainfully, but there was no bite behind his tone. "Your poker face sucks."

Immediately, Ryuji's face turned from a want-to-grin-like-silly expression to a more irritated one, "why you—"

"Hey Ryuji," Akira greeted, coming down from the stairs. His silent steps took Ryuji by surprise, but he really shouldn't be. It was to be expected from the awesome leader of the Phantom Thieves after all.

"Oh hey. Mornin'! I was waiting for you," Ryuji coughed. Morgana let out a little 'nyahaha' laugh, and as much as Ryuji wanted to get into another banter battle with the cat, he had a goal today. "So uh...you know how I said I hate coffee, right?"

"Right," Akira drawled, heading to the kitchen and checking the fridge.

"I was wonderin' if it's all types of coffee, or just the canned ones. I never tried Leblanc coffee after all," Ryuji said, internally wondering if Joker could tell what he was up to.

Akira closed the fridge door and turned his head to Ryuji.

"So you want me to make you coffee?" Akira asked.

"Am I that obvious?" Ryuji grinned nervously.

"You only had to ask," Akira shook his head lightly with a smile.

As much as Ryuji was asking coffee for a prank, he probably would've asked for it even without an ulterior motive. Watching Akira work was like watching some talented visual arts performer. He moved back and forth, getting the coffee grounds, getting the filters, and boiling water like it was scripted with confidence.

Akira gathered the sugar-pitcher, the cream, and milk, but he didn't put anything in. 

"How do you want your coffee?" he asked.

"However you make yours, man," Ryuji shrugged, knowing that Akira always put at least two spoons of sugar in for himself. It would be suspicious if he himself didn't want any sugar, especially with how much he complained about the bitterness.

Akira nodded, and when it was done, he slid it in front of Ryuji.

Ryuji looked down at the cup, and back up at Akira's expectant face.

"Uhmm...you first?" Ryuji grinned awkwardly.

Akira shook his head, chuckling, but complying. Moving around the counter, he sat on the bar stool near Ryuji, and picked up his own cup for a sip. Ryuji watched intently—maybe a bit too intently if Morgana's continued nyahaha's were any indication—but as seconds ticked by with no extreme reaction, Ryuji resisted the urge to scratch his head.

Akira took another sip.

And then another.

And then another.

Morgana too, was silent at this point.

Ryuji could understand if Akira sipped it experimentally, trying to distinguish what went wrong with the coffee, but he was drinking it as if nothing was wrong.

With how long he was staring, it was only a matter of time Akira met his gaze.

Ryuji saw how Akira's lips twisted upwards in a smug, knowing grin, and he knew he was busted.

Joker drank the whole cup of coffee knowing it was salty.

Why the fuck was his leader able to be so damn calm?!

.

.

.

**EXTRA**

After Akira finished his coffee, he moved to the kitchen to make breakfast for the two of them. 

"I don't get it! People don't put salt in their coffee, right?!" Ryuji hissed quietly but harshly to Morgana, rubbing his hair in irritation and confusion.

"As far as I know, no," Morgana replied just as quietly, a bit of wonder in his voice. He too, was a bit stunned at how Akira drank a whole pint of salty coffee.

Ryuji looked at the cup with a suspicious glare, but he picked it up and took a gulp.

"HRK!"

"Ryuji don't die!"

In the kitchen, Akira tried to muffle his laughter.

**Author's Note:**

> An old prompt I found when browsing for ideas. I wanted to re-learn how to write cute and emotional scenarios again, but I decided to start with something light and easy. It's pretty trashy though...
> 
> Also, I've discovered that sometimes, people put salt with the coffee grounds to make the coffee seem less bitter. #chemistry. Of course, it's all about preference.


End file.
